1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the art of making jewelry and, more specifically, to a channel set ring and method of making same in which precise positioning of multiple gems is achieved.
2. Description of the Related Art
Currently known methods of making a channel set ring including forming an annular groove in the outer sidewall of the ring, placing the gems side-by-side in the groove, and then rolling rims upstanding on opposite sides of the gems so that the upper end portions of the rims bend inwardly over the gems and thereby hold them in place.
A problem arises in such a method in that it is critical for the gems, such as diamonds, to be precisely aligned, and the alignment must be maintained during the rim rolling step so that when the ring is finished, the proper setting is achieved.
In one particular method using a groove formed in a ring mounting, the groove is rectangularly shaped and a plurality of holes are formed in the base of the groove, each hole receiving the pavilion of one of a plurality of gems. After placing the gems in the corresponding holes, the rim portions are turned in order to toe the rims inwardly, thus holding the gems in place.
A problem associated with the aforementioned method is that it is difficult to position the holes at the prescribed equidistantly spaced intervals. Furthermore, it is difficult to retain the gems in their corresponding holes during the rim turning step.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,566,294 provides a gem mounting method, in which holes in the groove are avoided entirely by providing the groove with a specific angular shape which is specifically designed to be more acute than the angle of the gems.